


Do You Not Hear Me Speak?

by ssa_archivist



Category: Smallville
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-01-19
Updated: 2003-01-19
Packaged: 2017-11-01 05:54:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/352764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ssa_archivist/pseuds/ssa_archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Decoding cryptic Luthors can be very trying. An answer to Alax's Shakespeare Title Challenge.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Do You Not Hear Me Speak?

## Do You Not Hear Me Speak?

by philtre

<http://www.livejournal.com/~stopawhile>

* * *

Disclaimer: It may _sound_ like I'm claiming they're mine, but I know they're not. 

Feedback: I like it straightforward. ;) 

Thank you: to Lady Angel for constant hand holding and the lovely LJ crowd, who previewed this and bugged me to post it. 

* * *

Sometimes, when Lex says "What can I do for you?", he really means "How can I show you that you're important to me?" It's always on the tip of Clark's tongue to tell Lex that he didn't have to give him things or do things for him. But it's important to Lex. Important that Lex feels needed, wanted, necessary in Clark's life. So Clark goes to him, all the time. Big things, small things, random things. He cherishes the way Lex's eyes light up at solving a problem for Clark, the way they seem to speak to him - "See, I'm worthy of you." It drives Clark insane because, if anything, it was Clark - a liar - who didn't deserve their friendship. 

Then Lex says things like "You should check out the new exhibit on the Roman empire," when what he really means is "Would you like to come with me to Metropolis for the weekend?" And that makes Clark think that maybe Lex does understand that spending time with Lex was what made Clark the happiest. Even if it is listening to Lex talk about dead emperors that Clark couldn't care less about. Even if it is sitting by a dying fireplace getting his ass royally kicked in chess. It really doesn't matter to Clark. 

But Lex tries to confuse him by saying "Lana is looking very pretty today," when what he really means is "Prove to me that you aren't still in love with Lana." It makes Clark want to shake Lex, make him understand that Lana had been nothing but a painfully bad case of puppy love. But it's so hard to put into words how he feels for Lex because there doesn't seem to be words adequate enough. It's even harder because he's pretty sure that Lex isn't _listening_ to what he's trying to say. 

He isn't deterred though, because other times, Lex says "Some people are meant to be alone," when what he really means is "I don't want to be alone." Clark understands this because he feels it too. But even more, he doesn't want _Lex_ to be alone. Lex thinks that he cannot trust anyone. He tries to build walls around him when it's painfully obvious that all he wants to really do is reach out and grab on to someone. 

Magnified when they're lying in bed together and Lex says "You take up too much room," when he really means "Why aren't you closer to me?" And Clark holds him tight because up close, things become fuzzy and he can pretend that he understands Lex completely or that _Lex_ understands _him_ completely. In the shroud of darkness, the crack in Lex's supposed tough shell widens ever so slightly and Lex readily presses back against him, his body melting in Clark's arms. Making Clark forget that there are unspoken baggage laden between them. 

Besides, moments like those made up for the times when Lex says "I'm a Luthor," when he really means "Show me that I'm not my father." Which Lex isn't. He's generous and loyal. Willing to sacrifice his own safety for others. Taking time out of his day to make someone else's better. Considering other people's needs with unselfish thoughtfulness. And when Lex thinks no one else is looking he's also vulnerable and fragile. 

Fragile when he thinks that he hides his emotions so well by saying "I'm fine" when the truth is that even Clark, the most clueless soul on the planet, knows that he isn't. Moments like those, Clark just ignores Lex's half-hearted brush-offs, pulls Lex into his arms and promises in actions, which speak louder to Lex than words, that he will never leave. 

Because Clark will willingly spend the rest of eternity trying to decode Lex. He's even almost at the point where likes it. The big puzzle that is Lex Luthor - layers and layers of endless mystery. But most of all, he's willing to endure his exasperating enigma because sometimes, when Lex doesn't say anything at all, he really means 'I think I might love you, too.' 


End file.
